MYSTERY ON THE ROAD

    The sun and the moon seemed to be playing seesaw, but it wasn't long before
the moon won out and cast its shadow on a large group of horsemen coming down a
mountain pass. The leader of the group suddenly held up one hand. This seemed 
to be a signal of some kind, and in an instant the group split into two battle 
formations. They unsheathed their swords and surrounded a group of travelers on
the road.
    The leader demanded to know everything about the little group. All he could
get out of them was that they had a flock of sheep with them as a present for 
him from his brother, who was behind them on the road. This sounded very 
strange to the leader. He couldn't understand why any one would simply give 
their flocks away. You see, the leader of the horsemen was on his way to find 
his brother, whom he had heard was coming this way. He was filled with 
bitterness because of the things his brother had done to him long ago. He was 
also very suspicious of the unusual gift he had found in the road because he 
knew his brother to be very sneaky and untrustworthy. All night long he rode
driving his men on in his fierce anger. Every so often he would meet another
flock or herd which had been sent as a present to him. By the time morning    
began to dawn, he was exausted. He began to think about how his brother must be
afraid of him, and he allowed himself the luxury of looking at some of their 
past arguments through his brother's eyes.
    By the time he got to the last group of animals he was laughing to himself 
at how ridiculous his army looked. It looked more like a farm or a zoo than a 
patrol of bloodthirsty men. Sort of like a traveling Noah's ark. You have 
probably guessed that when he saw his brother at last in the distance they 
laughed together  -all the bitterness was gone at last!

Taken from Genesis 32,33